‘Game of Thrones’ Wins Outstanding Drama Series at the 2018 Emmys

Game of Thronesis the type of show that can duck out of the Emmys race one year, then swoop back in the next like an ice dragon, burning all the competition to flecks of dust. After the HBO series was absent from last year’s awards for a later-than-usual premiere date, it returned to the 2018 Emmys louder than ever this year, taking home the top prize for Outstanding Drama Series.

The seventh and penultimate season of the HBO show beat out The Handmaid’s Tale, The Crown, The Americans, Stranger Things, This Is Us, andWestworld. This marks the third time the David Benioff and Dan Weiss series has won the top award, following wins in 2015 and 2016. The show also had the most nominations out of every program this year with a whopping 22. It only won in one major category tonight, securing Peter Dinklage’s third Supporting Actor Emmy for the series. (But don’t worry, it also won a bunch at the Creative Arts Emmys last week.)

This is surely not the end of GoT‘s reign, with one more season on the way. But don’t plan to see the show sweep once again at next year’s ceremony; while the final Season 8 has yet to get an official release date, coming sometime in “the first half“ 2019, there’s a chance we may get another summer premiere, deeming it ineligible for next year’s awards. Whether it’s next year or 2020, prepare for winter to come (again).